


try again (we’ll be alright)

by ritokki



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Plot Twist, Very fluffy, but - Freeform, did someone say existential dread? here u go, end of the world AU, i promise no one dies, ik this is very vague but ion wanna give it away, like armageddon or whatever u wanna call it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21796222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritokki/pseuds/ritokki
Summary: He had planned for adventure, his last solo days - falling in love had never been part of the plan.The world was ending, and Lucas just wanted one last adventure.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas, side johnyong rensung and dojae if u squint real hard
Comments: 12
Kudos: 32





	try again (we’ll be alright)

**Author's Note:**

> AHHHH IVE BEEN WRITING THIS FOR SO LONG honestly i feel like my writing style changed so much during this but i just. needed to get this published AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
> 
> working title - World END. Try Again?
> 
> before the edgelords cancel me for using stage names i need you all to know i am Aware and there is a Reason just read ,,,all will become clear after like 10k
> 
> also if there are any new stans who arent as familiar, lucas=yukhei/xuxi and haechan=donghyuck
> 
> ALSO title is from try again by d.ear and jaehyun!! a banger if i do say so myself
> 
> enjoy!!

**D-7**

It’s the end of the world.

Not right now, obviously, but it was coming - his countdown said seven days, and he had bought it from one of those blank-faced store clerks that were everywhere, so he could be sure of its accuracy. Though the screen occasionally changed to display some sort of advert for a strip club, which was weird, but Lucas had seen the same on billboards and social media, so he wasn't awfully shocked. 

Truth be told, Lucas was unprepared. 

What did he want to spend his last days doing? Hanging out with his friends? Going to work? Doing what he’s always done? The answer was no, because Lucas was always one for spontaneity, and he’d be damned if he went down without doing something he’d never even thought of before.

But then came the issue of deciding. It wasn't like he could just Google it - as much as he wished he could, the company was taken over by communists back in 2068 and he hadn't touched it since. It didn't help that the sector of Seoul his apartment was located it had had no power for the past three days, partially because the landlord was too bone-idle to pay the bill; partially due to the nuclear bomb that had been dropped on the local power stations. (Luckily, he always had at least four fully-charged, portable power banks that he carried everywhere, so he had at least enough energy for a few more days.)

Nasty stuff, really, all this nuclear-war-with-the-communists business. Lucas just wanted to get away.

And there it was - his brilliant, spectacular, staggering last holiday; his final days, the adventure that would determine how he was remembered. (Not that that particularly mattered - once this world ended, there would be no remains. No data, no memory of what once was. But Lucas was sentimental - this was his first world, maybe his only world, and he had become attached to the rapidly increasing water levels that destroyed his first home, and the bombs he sometimes heard at night. Somehow.)

Lucas was going to find a deserted island and he was going to live there, alone, until the world ended. 

So that's exactly what he did. He hopped on the next flight to god knows where and took off without saying a word. Not to his roommate, Jaehyun, or to the lady down the hall that made those cookies that smelt like if heaven was an oven, not even to the kid from the penthouse suite that used to push lego bricks into Lucas’s mailbox because Lucas would always complain to Doyoung, the tired receptionist (whom Jaehyun was  _ definitely  _ dating, Lucas just needed proof. Too bad there wasn't enough time.), about how expensive the toys were. Lucas also hadn't seen this kid since the penthouse suite was abandoned for safety reasons after some of the first bombs dropped in South Korea. Too bad; Lucas would’ve liked to see how the kid grew up after so long.

He did say goodbye to  _ someone _ , though. To Johnny, the stray cat he had so lovingly named after his favourite cousin; the one that, no matter how much Lucas annoyed him, would never push him away. Surely, the universe would keep him safe until the end. He was grateful for Johnny, both human and feline. Mainly human Johnny, though - at least he didn’t go around, shitting like the world was about to end. (The irony didn't set in until a bit later, unfortunately.)

Lucas wasn’t too surprised that he was the only passenger. Not many people enjoyed travelling nowadays, probably because every country had become increasingly hostile, with alliances dropping like flies and grudges more persistent than one of those leaflet people on the street. Lucas was convinced the leaflet people had gotten worse in the last few years - now, civilians were being offered millions to assassinate this world leader and that world leader as if that was even possible. The truth is, if you weren’t shipped off to war, you were one of the useless ones. Or, in Lucas’s case, you had terrible eyesight and persistent backache. 

He wasn’t surprised, but it was still a strange sensation. Even stranger when he realised there wasn’t even a pilot or staff of any sort. This plane was completely under AI control.

Lucas was doomed. 

He was already doomed before, but now? Extra doomed. He was going to die without his vacation - god, was nuclear war not enough? The universe was cruel, cruel enough to strip the chance of a pleasant demise from someone like Lucas, who had never done anyone any harm (other than the girl he slapped when he was fifteen because she was being mean to one of his friends, and even then, he had felt guilty for  _ weeks _ ).

“Well,” Lucas said to nobody but himself and his existential dread. “Looks like we’re parting a little earlier, huh, Earth? You were kinda shit, but that’s our fault, really. Sorry ‘bout that.” 

He was going mad, he decided. So mad, he was talking to an Earth that might not even exist in seven days. It was earned though - he was going to die on a plane with no pilot, no witnesses, somewhere across an ocean he had long forgotten the name of. 

Maybe he would get in the news. He could see it now: “Teen Dies In Pilotless Plane Crash On His Way To Live Out The Rest Of His Days On A Deserted Island.” Maybe shorter would be better - he wanted to go out with a bang, though preferably not a literal one. Plus, Lucas technically wasn't a teen. So, something along the lines of, “Man Departs On Pilotless Plane - Forever.” Or was that too dark? It was probably too dark. Perhaps-

The plane landed before he realised.

After confirming that he was, in fact,  _ alive _ (he wasn't entirely sure though. He could be a ghost, just a really shit one that can't pass through solid objects. He had tried, and now there was a large bruise blooming on his shin), he hopped out of the plane, which immediately took off back down the runway and flew off.

Lucas was alone. And maybe a ghost. But he was  _ here _ , so he didn't really mind either of those things.

The issue was, the island wasn't nearly what he was hoping for. Rather than golden beaches, untouched by mankind, he was greeted with what looked like Jeju Island. (It was definitely Jeju island.) And, while Jeju was just about as  _ deserted _ as it got, it was more “decrepit buildings in need of some weed killer,” not the “wind blowing your hair gently as you sail out towards the setting sun” that Lucas had seen in his animes. But Jeju was an island, and islands all had beaches. Lucas could still achieve his tiny dream. It was a small victory, but a victory all-in-all.

The plane had ditched him on the runway, the ivy-ridden walls of the airport behind him, and if his eyes weren't deceiving him, he could definitely see the sea’s horizon in the distance. He began walking without much of a second thought.

Thinking back on it now, though, he probably should have packed some sorts of supplies. He had left without warning, hadn't even needed to book tickets because no one dared to travel anymore. But because of his recklessness, he was faced with the stark realisation that he had  _ nothing _ , other than some ages-old, fourth-generation iPod nano he was fairly sure shouldn't exist anymore. It only had songs from the early 2000s - ancient, and of course, Lucas had never heard of them before. They slapped though; Lucas thought he might have a couple of new favourite songs. 

The main issue, Lucas realised as he pushed his way through overgrown hedges that crawled for metres and metres, was that, as much as he was debating on the actual meaning of his and everyone else’s existence, he still needed to live. Mostly to say “fuck you, Universe!” if he’s honest. 

He could sustain himself for seven days, right? It wasn't like  _ everything _ on the island was contaminated. It had been ten years already, and the bombs were dropped on the south side - it’ll be fine. (He hoped.)

Lucas skillfully dodged tree roots that had dug up so much of the pavement, it was more wood than concrete. It also made it very difficult to walk on. And with Lucas’s less-than-satisfactory balance, to say he struggled would be an understatement - by the time he reached the beach, he was just about ready to collapse. So he did.

Pulling an overturned sunchair from its unceremonious burial in the sand, Lucas ignored the deafening growling of his stomach and focussed on the sun that sunk slowly into the ocean, leaving the already grey sky a hue of inky blue. 

There were no stars as he nodded off. There never was.

**D-6**

Lucas woke to a gun pointed at his face. 

Initially, his reaction was to scream, but that was before he saw who was holding the trigger. Around his age, a kid with a mop of silver hair and hands that were shaking like a leaf.

“Who the fuck-” his voice was quivering, too- “are you?”

“I- my name’s Lucas. Wong. Lucas Wong. Or Wong Lucas. Depends.” he was rambling, but it seemed to be putting this guy off, so he decided to continue. Probably not the best decision, but he didn’t really have much time to consider any other option. “I’m here because, you know, the world’s ending, haha. Ha.” 

The kid didn’t move, still shaking, and Lucas still had a gun pointed to his face. His stomach, though, didn’t seem to sense the danger, and took that opportunity to growl, loud enough for Lucas’s kind-of-captor to jump and spin around, rifle aiming wildly at the forest of ivy and what once were houses. Lucas couldn’t help but sigh at the relieved pressure. He stood without thinking, and before he could even begin to stretch the kink in his neck, there was a gun aimed at him. Again.

He raised his hands automatically. “Sorry if I scared ya, dude. I haven’t eaten in, like, ten hours? My tummy is  _ rumblin’!”  _

“Jesus- _ fuck,  _ I thought that was a bear. I do not wanna get bitten again,” he muttered, finger twitching around the trigger. “It’s been a couple of hours and your stomach is that loud?”

“What can I say, I spoil myself.”

The boy scoffed. “Good luck with that. Out here, you get what you're given.” he lowered the gun, carefully eyeing Lucas. “Why the hell are you out here, anyway? It’s a fucking wasteland.”

“That was… kind of the point. I wanted to spend some time alone before the whole ‘end of the world’ thing happens. But, uh, looks like I failed on that one!”

Before Lucas could take another breath, he was, again, faced with this silver-haired guy’s gun. “You're way too compliant. And the world ending? Really?”

He didn't know? How was that possible? Surely he still had some contact with the mainland, right? “How long have you been on this island, alone?”

“I’ve lived here my whole life. The bombs dropped when I was eight; I was the only survivor.”

His mind flashed back to one of the songs on his playlist. “The last man standing?”

“Why do you care?”

“Oh- well, uh.” Lucas quickly pulled out his countdown. The boy flinched, finger poised on the trigger, ready to shoot, and Lucas yelped as he threw his hands up in the air once again. The device fell to the ground with both of their eyes following it. Carefully, the kid bent to pick it up. He inspected it for a moment, squinting at the green numbers that grew less and less every second, and turned to Lucas.

“What is this? A bomb?”

His heart raced like it was about to jump out of his chest and swim off into the ocean that lapped at his feet. “No! Its a countdown. ‘Till the world ends,” he added.

His companion didn't seem convinced. “How do I know you're not lying?”

At this point, Lucas was staring down the barrel of the rifle, going cross-eyed at how close it was to his face. He gulped before chuckling maniacally, like a man being held within an inch of his life. Which he was. “Look, dude, I just came here for a final vacation, I don't have any reason to lie to you. Just Bing Search it or something.”

The gun was lowered suspiciously quickly. “Bing?  _ Bing?  _ What about Google?”

“Sorry, dude, the Commies got to it.”

“Damn. I'd be sad if we could even get internet here. Also, stop calling me dude. My name’s Haechan.” He stuck his hand out. Lucas mentally raised an eyebrow as he took it; Haechan was way too calm for someone that had just been told he was going to die in six days. Lucas had cried until it felt pointless when the United Nations (what was left of it) released the first warning. Then someone broke into his apartment to rob him, but only found Lucas’s scented candle stash and made like the wind with it, so Lucas cried some more. 

Hell,  _ his _ acceptance was only a recent thing. It came about two days ago, while he was folding his laundry. He paused his file folding, thought “if I die, no one will care about my laundry,” and promptly ditched it in favour of going to the park. The grass was plastic, and there was so much dust in the air that Lucas could barely see in front of him, but it seemed fitting. A dead man had no reason to fear whatever health issues could come with inhaling so many foreign particles, though they still made Lucas feel icky. He was glad the air here was clearer, if only slightly.

Haechan just chucked his gun to the side and plopped onto the sand. The sea chased after his feet as he moved them just out of reach of the murky purple waves. He was toying with the water in a way that would seem crazy to anyone else - including Lucas, who wondered if living alone for all these years had done something to this guy. Lucas got lonely when he was in a different room to his houseplants; he couldn't imagine what being the sole survivor on an abandoned island would feel like. After a moment of deliberation, Lucas kicked away the collection of tin cans that were wound together by a bundle of half-dead seaweed and sat next to Haechan.

“So, Haechan,” he began hesitantly but gained some of his usual fervour when Haechan responded with a hum. It had been so long since he had met anyone new, he had almost forgotten how exciting it could be. “What are your pronouns?”

Lucas wondered if the question would confuse him, considering even some from the mainland still couldn't understand it. But to his delight, Haechan replied with a smile. “He and him. You?” 

“Same.”

“Cool. You gay?” Lucas spluttered after a brief pause, trying to process Haechan’s straightforwardness. Haechan just rolled his eyes. “C’mon, don't tell me the mainland  _ still  _ cares about that shit.”

“No! I mean, not everyone. Some people, but not that many. I don't. Because I’m pan, so-”

“God, you’d think the world ending would knock the sense into ‘em.”

“Speaking of… you’ve really just accepted it? That the end is less than six days?”

“It’s not as though I have much to live for,” Haechan said, tilting his head back towards the sky. His eyes were closed - it if wasn't for his next words, Lucas might have thought he was asleep. “Anyone I achieved any level of friendship with is either six feet underground or half-way around the world, by now. Jeju isn't even that big anymore. My house was, like, 40 kilometres from the centre, and it's completely submerged, now. The airport was moved too, before I came about. Actually, I'm pretty sure where we are now used to be Hallasan.”

“Isn't that the mountain? How come there’s sand?”

“Beats me. It fits the aesthetic though, so I’m not complaining.”

Lucas folded his legs beneath him, thinking. “So you've really been alone all this time? Couldn't you have called the mainland or something?”

“We don't get much signal ‘round here.” Haechan opened his eyes, turning to look at Lucas. He had a level of beauty that made him almost intimidating, and as Lucas looked right back at him, he clenched his fists around grains of sand, resisting the urge to wither under his gaze. “Actually, most electronic devices stop working after a while. I think it’s all the nuclear radiation.”

Haechan looked away, and Lucas let himself relax. “Man, I really wish I had enough time left to worry about radiation poisoning.”

“That’s a weird fuckin’ wish but you know what? I respect it.”

“Thanks, dude. That means a lot.”

“Stop calling me ‘dude’.”

“Whoops, sorry.” He grinned, adding: “Dude.”

“Okay, now you're just doing it on purpose.”

Lucas just barked out a laugh at Haechan’s expression: bottom lip poking out, eyebrows furrowed, and nostrils flared. It reminded him of (cat) Johnny whenever Lucas ran out of food, even managing to match the level of cuteness.

“You remind me of my cat.” Haechan’s expression turned brazen and he tilted his head to the side. Lucas grinned. “Cute.” 

The air was clearer here - still laced with the ever-present stench of industrial smog, but permanent black clouds only dimmed the full brunt of the sun rather than blocking it completely. Lucas believed that Haechan was what they used to call ‘sunkissed’, with the way he seemed to glow in what little light fell upon him. In fact, it seemed as though the light was drawn to him - though, that was probably just his eyes playing tricks on him. Radiation poisoning and all that.

He was halfway through telling Haechan about the time he lost half of his life savings after a bet he made with some shady guy over Mark’s debut mixtape getting on the charts (spoiler alert: it didn't, mostly because Mark was fifteen and a SoundCloud rapper) when the wind suddenly picked up and a wave that only Haechan had seen coming soaked his trousers all the way up to the mid-thigh. 

He grumbled as he pulled himself up, sticking his tongue out as he waddled over to where Haechan stood, giggles making his shoulders shake. It was the way he grinned with such pride at Lucas being the one to suffer that gave Lucas no other choice than to retaliate.

There was no time for elaborate revenge plans (not that Lucas would have the patience, either way), and what better time than the present?

Haechan yelped as Lucas picked him up, under the armpits, as one would to a misbehaving child, and let out a series of warning gasps as they neared the foaming edge of the sea that chased them. Lucas entered the water and, without warning, dropped Haechan into the murky depths, where he landed with a splash on his butt.

Groaning, Haechan pulled himself to stand. He grabbed a piece of plastic from where it had stuck to his thigh and lobbed it mercilessly at Lucas, who now stood, thigh-high in water, with plastic suctioned to his face.

As the rain became acidic, the ocean did too. Which was why all the masses of plastic in its depths was rather gummy, sticky almost, and was a pain to wash out. That was why beaches and islands were mostly uninhabited - well, not that there were many left, anyway. 

Lucas put a hand to the offending object, aiming to pull it off. But- my, oh my, was that a poor choice. The plastic stuck to his fingers like glue, and the more he touched it, the further it spread.

"Oh my God," Haechan said. He stepped into Lucas' line of sight, obviously trying his very hardest not to burst out laughing at Lucas’ predicament. In any other situation, Lucas would have complained, whining about how unfair life is. But Haechan’s presence was infectious, and Lucas found himself barking out a laugh after catching sight of his reflection in the dark water. 

Their legs stung after being exposed to acid for so long, hair singeing slightly. Neither of them moved.

There was only so much one could care about when it came to the end.

**D-5**

"So, tell me about yourself. Got any goals?" 

The sun had already risen, closing in on its highest point. Lucas, with nothing else to do, busied himself with attempting to draw some more personal information from Haechan. There was little more interesting than human beings, his grandmother had always said. His grandmother was also an illegal car racer, back in the day, so he trusted her word more than he trusted the nutritional information on cereal boxes. (There’s no way Cheerios have that much protein. No way.)

Unfortunately, the nihilism was beginning to set in.

"Goals? What's the point in having goals, now?" Haechan replied. The sun fought through the clouds to light up his golden skin where he lay sprawled on the sand, making lazy ‘sand angels’. The sand was too dry to retain the shape, but Haechan seemed to be having a blast getting sand in places Lucas refused to even think about.

“I mean, we still have five days?”

“I can't become a singer in five days, Lucas.” Haechan sat up, shaking the sand from his hair as he faced Lucas. The log of acid-smoothed driftwood suddenly felt far too unstable, and Lucas probably would have toppled over if he hadn't stretched out his legs to balance himself. “Plus,” Haechan continued, nodding his head towards the rows of greenery and the single, crumbling house that lay behind them. “There’s no one -  _ nothing  _ \- else alive on this island. What’s the point in singing without an audience?”

Lucas straightened up, forgetting his minor gay panic moment. “If you enjoy it, what’s the problem? I sing in the shower all the time.”

Haechan laughed, strained. “It’s not quite the same, Lucas.”

“Oh. Well, if that’s the case, I’ll be your audience!”

“Lucas-”

“C’mon, Haechan! Life’s too short!” he shouted, voice projecting over a mile of nothingness. Haechan scoffed.

“Got that right.”

_ “Haechan-”  _ Lucas pouted - the final straw. It didn't take long for Haechan to relent. (Lucas’ puppy eyes were no joke, to put it lightly.) 

“Okay, fine. You can be my audience. If it’ll make you happy.”

“But it’s supposed to make  _ you _ happy-” Haechan shushed him with a finger to his lips, took a deep breath, and began to sing.

Lucas could already tell that Haechan thrived in attention. To be at the centre of things, to have everyone looking at you - it was exhilarating. 

But it seemed as though Lucas’ gaze was too intense for him alone. He struggled to find the right tune; the lyrics evaded him for the longest time until they came rushing back and he spluttered as they forced themselves out, rough and mistimed. 

And yet, Lucas’ attention didn't waver, even as Haechan floundered over his words, rusty from having not performed in front of another person in what could’ve been forever. He made his expression as open as he could without being creepy. 

Soon enough, Haechan’s nerves began to fizzle out. He finished the rest of the song without much of a hitch, and Lucas burst into applause. 

“You’re so good, Haechan. Like an angel,” Lucas said, the awe in his voice reflecting the way he was perched on the edge of his makeshift chair.

Haechan raised an eyebrow, smiling. “I mean, thanks, but- is that really the first thing that popped to mind? Angel?”

“You don't wanna be an angel?”

“Angels are  _ lame.  _ I’d definitely be a witch.”

“Can witches sing, though?” Lucas asked, leaning forwards.

“This one can,” Haechan said, pointing to his chest with a proud grin.

Lucas giggled and flopped onto the sand to roll over to Haechan. There was definitely sand in places sand should  _ not  _ be, but none of that really seemed to matter when Haechan took the close proximity as an excuse to start playing with Lucas’ hair. The feeling of fingers tangling in the strands, gently pulling at knots and scratching his scalp was both a familiar and welcomed one - he leant into the touch without a second thought.

In some ways, it was odd. Playing with someone’s hair wasn't a second-day-of-knowing thing. It had taken eight years for Lucas to get permission to touch Mark’s hair - and they were  _ cousins, _ for god’s sake. But, with Haechan, it felt natural. 

Lucas had always been a sucker for love, the idea of falling for someone.

Don't tell, but he really wouldn't mind if that person was Haechan.

**D-4**

“Uh, Haechan?”

“Yeah?” 

“I found a glass bottle. There's a letter inside?” Lucas knew he didn't sound sure, but Haechan still peeled himself away from his under-construction sandman, curiosity piqued.

“I’ve never found a bottle before.” Lucas gave him a surprised glance. “Hey, I’m just as shocked as you are. Twenty years and  _ nothing.  _ All I have are those weird strip club adverts.”

“You get those here, too? How?” 

“I dunno. They just kind of… appear. I have a collection of all the weird shit I’ve found, you know.” Lucas’ expression lit up, and he noticed Haechan wince minutely. Definitely strange. “I’ll show you once you open that. Shit, maybe it’s a treasure map? That’d be so cool.”

Lucas turned to the bottle, tearing the cork out with a new kind of fervour. It came out with a satisfying  _ pop!  _ Haechan peered closer as Lucas tipped the bottle and pulled the rolled-up piece of paper from inside. It was fastened with thin string, tied into a bow. A bow so tiny, that Lucas’ fingers were unable to grasp it. 

“God, you're hopeless. Gimme.” Haechan motioned with his hands and Lucas handed the paper over with a pout but crowded into Haechan’s space as soon as the string was undone. His hair, blond and long enough that it hung in front of his eyes, brushed against Haechan’s forehead while he slowly opened the paper.

After thirty seconds. Lucas threw his hands up in frustration; Haechan had barely moved, and even when Lucas returned from his brief walk (stomp) to the edge of the beach and back, nothing had changed. He placed his hands over Haechan’s, kneeling. “Please-” he looked up with his best puppy eyes- “ _ Hurry.” _

“Okay, okay. So impatient.” Lucas ignored Haechan’s teasing and returned to his full height with a grin. He was almost vibrating by the time Haechan began to unravel the paper. It was painful, how slow Haechan moved, but soon, all was revealed.

The paper was in pristine condition - Haechan expected nothing less from the infamous strip club company.

“It’s another advert,” Haechan announced with a sigh. Lucas visibly deflated. “Sorry.”

Shaking his head, Lucas smiled half-heartedly. He didn't notice how Haechan’s expression fell, only looked up when he started talking.

“So, that was a bust. But, you know what’s not a bust?” 

Lucas narrowed his eyes, and his smile became just that little bit wider.

“My stash.” 

Before Lucas could say anything, Haechan wrapped a hand around his wrist and ran.

*

“Welcome to the stash! Don't stay too long or make any loud noises because the building will definitely fall on top of you.” Haechan spread his arms in a way that was awfully reminiscent of a ringmaster on stage. 

Lucas grimaced. “I was gonna ask if this place was structurally sound, but-” Haechan made a cross with his arms- “Guess not.”

“Yeah, nah. This was the only building left standing near the beach, so I kinda claimed it. Never sleep in it, though. It’d probably be one hell of a long sleep, to put it that way.”

Lucas suddenly shivered. 

Haechan took a step closer. “What was that?”

“Nothing, just a wave of existential dread.” Lucas waved his hand, still feeling like he was an ant with some god’s boot looming over his head when Haechan cleared his throat. 

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked.

“I guess-” he began to rifle through the mess of  _ things _ until something caught his eye. “Haechan, what's this?” he held up a roll of aged paper. It was yellow, slightly burnt around the edges - it smelt like sulfur oxide and adventure.

“I found that ages ago. I thought it could be a treasure map, but I’ve never had the motivation to go look for it.” Lucas was practically buzzing as Haechan continued. “Did you wanna go find-”

“Yes!” Lucas hurried out, using his long legs to carry him faster than. Behind him, he heard a faint crack, followed by a yelp. He ignored it and continued on.

That was, until he had a horrific realisation.

It was right then that Haechan caught up, panting as he rested his hands on his knees. “What’s- what’s wrong?”

“We don't have a compass…” Lucas admitted, giving Haechan the most pathetic-slash-cute-slash-pleading look he could muster.

“Huh?” Haechan stood up straight. “Oh, a compass? I have one, here.” he reached back and pulled one out, seeming from nowhere. Lucas didn't question it, just accepted with a yell of glee. 

With the help of the compass, they managed to properly orient themselves, and within minutes, they were on a roll.

“The path is so clear, it’s suspicious,” Haechan said, and Lucas was inclined to agree.

“I was just thinking that! You don't think someone got here- oh, jeez.” Lucas stopped at the edge of the water, before his sandals could get wet. There was nothing worse than wet sandals, especially when the water was known for giving free pedicures. Acid was great for removing dead skin, unsurprisingly.

Haechan came to a halt beside him. “It must be in there,” he said, pointing to what was probably a house, half-submerged. It most definitely wasn't safe, but that was a future problem. For now, Lucas wanted to know how the fuck they were supposed to get in. The map didn't show any water, which Lucas decided was definitely a scam.

With a blank expression, Haechan toed off his shoes. “We swim, duh.”

A pause. “Haechan, I can't swim.”

“You can't? That sucks. I'll get it, wait here." And before Lucas could get a word in sideways, Haechan was off and wading into the water. He had abandoned his shirt, shoes, and socks in an unceremonious pile that had Lucas thinking just how much Taeyong would love to clean it up. Well, he wouldn't love to, but with the way his brain refused to ignore such messes, he would have to.

Lucas held his breath when Haechan submerged himself in the water. The water was almost entirely opaque, with Lucas only just being able to see the silhouette of Haechan’s body as he ducked under an island of trash. Soon, he was entirely out of sight, and Lucas felt panic settle.

Other than all the pools in Seoul being shut down after a major reservoir was damaged for reasons Lucas couldn't quite place, Lucas had other reasons as to why he never learnt to swim. And the most prevalent of them all was the danger. Seawater wasn't the worst, as it was more diluted, but all natural water sources had a level of acid that, if exposed to for extended periods of time, start to burn. People have lost limbs, even lives; it’s rarer to find a surfer or fisher with two working eyes than it is to find a surfer or fisher in the first place.

_ ‘Worried’  _ didn't seem like quite the right word. Lucas felt he was more  _ ‘paranoid’  _ than anything - Haechan had been here for far longer than Lucas, surely he would know his own limits. Doubt was one hell of a powerful feeling, though.

Right now, Lucas was doubting the very concept of time. How long was a minute? How long was a second? Had it been hours? Who on earth could hold their breath for that long?

“What the hell are you doing?”

Lucas was startled out of his self-imposed breath holding competition, face turning less purple and more pink in embarrassment. 

He noticed Haechan hanging half out of a window, just a few metres above the water. An alarm bell began to ring in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away. “I thought you died!” he yelled back.

“Aw, you were worried about me. That’s so cute. Think quick!” he launched the package, which landed a few metres away from Lucas and luckily floated. “Or not. Shit, i really misjudged that. Anyway, I’m gonna go back the way i came- fuck!” Suddenly, Haechan lost his footing and slipped. He grabbed desperately onto the window frame to stop himself from falling. It was only then that Lucas noticed the already precarious angle of the building had increased, and cracks were slowly climbing up the walls.

“Are you okay?” Lucas hadn't even registered that he was entering the water; he was already up to his knees when Haechan called back.

“I’m fine! Just-” he pulled himself up to the window, looked down over his shoulder, and gulped. “I’m gonna have to jump from here.”

“Are you mad? You’ll get caught in the trash.”

“I can always wash it off-” the house shifted again- “Fuck this, I’m going down.” 

And with that, Haechan threw himself, head first, into the water. Just as Lucas predicted, he collided directly with the island of trash - and proceeded to not assure Lucas that he was okay, that he was still breathing, but rather use the resulting confusion to sneak up to Lucas and grab his ankles under the water. Lucas practically threw himself into the air, higher than any six-foot man should be able to jump and let out a horrific screech that Haechan could hear, clear as day, even with his water-clogged ears. The trash plastered over his body probably formed a kind of barrier too, but Haechan was unphased as he pulled himself onto the shore.

Lucas peeled himself from the foetus position he had assumed and, once his heart had finished it’s drum practice, crawled over to Haechan.

“Gotcha,” Haechan quipped, flopping onto his back and still huffing to get his breath back after his little swim.

Lucas punched him in the arm and frowned. “That wasn't very nice. I thought I was gonna die!”

“ _ You  _ thought you were gonna die? What about  _ me!” _

“Oh, good point. Are you okay? There is so much trash sticking to you right now.”

“Physically, I’m unharmed. Emotionally… also unharmed. I’m not dead and life is great! Now let's go, uh-” twisting from side to side, Haechan searched for the package he had thrown. At that very moment, it floated ashore and Haechan jumped to pick it up and inspect what it was. “Oh my god.”

“What is it?”

“Lucas,” his face was unnaturally serious, and Lucas pulled himself to his feet. That package - it couldn't be anything bad, right? It’s treasure! Treasure was supposed to be good, not bad.

Gulping, he said, “Please tell me it’s not a bomb.”

“Well… not entirely.” when Haechan noticed Lucas’ face scrunched up in confusion, he grinned and flipped the package around. “Fireworks!”

“Fireworks?”

“Fireworks!”

“Oh my god. Fireworks!” 

“Fireworks!”

They were jumping around before Lucas realised, hands joined and package lying abandoned on the floor as they pranced around like they were mad. (Maybe they were, who knows? Not Lucas.) 

Pure excitement was a great distraction. They took a moment to rest once they had calmed down - and that was when it all went wrong.

Haechan ran a hand through his hair and yelled. Lucas spun around, meeting Haechan’s terrified eyes.

“My hair’s burning off.”

“Shit- think fast!” Lucas threw him a water bottle, which hit him square in the chest and fell quietly into the sand.

They both stared at it, silent.

“That’s the saddest thing I’ve seen in a while,” Lucas said.

“Mood.” 

*

The rest of their day passed with relative calmness, deciding to leave the package to dry, just in case some water had snuck inside. It was fairly securely sealed, but Donghyuck insisted they let it air dry, just so they weren’t disappointed when they eventually used them. A sensible choice, but Lucas was becoming restless. Waiting had never been his forte.

“Hey, Haechan?”

“Hm?” Haechan was splayed out on the sand, hair somehow still looking the shiny silver it always was, despite him being submerged in weak acid for far longer than the recommended time. His skin didn't look damaged either. Lucas didn't think too much of it, considering his own golden hair was just as clean as before he arrived on this island. It was a thing, he guessed. 

“What do you wanna do while we wait?”

“Sleep.” it made sense - from treasure hunting to impromptu high diving, Haechan had had quite the eventful day. His energy levels must be almost non-existent.

Lucas unconsciously lowered his voice to a whisper. “Okay, you sleep. I’m gonna go for a walk.”

Haechan grunted in response, rolling onto his side so he faced away from Lucas, who sat for a moment, contemplating. Once he finished contemplating, he unwrapped his hoodie from his waist and lay it over Haechan. The sun was setting, and it got cold at night here, he reasoned. It wasn't just an excuse to give Haechan his clothes, no way. He  _ did  _ look comfy, though.

Lucas shook his head -  _ no.  _ they only had a couple of days left, and feelings would only complicate things.

Didn't stop them from existing, though.

Breathe in, breathe out. Lucas dusted his shorts off when he stood, stretching his legs. He took a few steps backwards, away from Haechan before he slowly turned around and carried on in that direction. He had no intention of straying from the beach, mostly out of fear of what was out there, and somewhat because he didn't want to get lost and worry Haechan. They only had each other out here, even if Haechan was alone before that. 

He knew Haechan had already become used to his presence in the few days they’d spent together, just as he had. There was something about waking up, knowing that just a few meters away, Haechan was busying around, probably raiding Yukhei’s phone or making his version of ‘breakfast’ again. (It’s almost inedible, but Haechan has long since desensitised to it. Lucas wasn't as lucky, but he ate what he was given. Still wasn't sure what was in the eggs, though.)

For a moment, Lucas stopped and looked out to sea. It was an endless expanse, and quite beautiful in its own, plastic-filled and slightly bubbling way. Lucas could definitely see the silhouette of a continent-sized trash island floating towards them, but he knew it wouldn't make it to shore. Such was life.

He lost track of how long he spent staring out to sea after the third plastic straw washed up at his feet. Now there was eleven, and something was calling his name. 

It was distant, but he could tell it was coming from where Haechan should still be. So, like anyone with a decent moral compass would do, he ditched everything (the straws, literally just the straws) and ran back.

There, he found Haechan sat up on the sand, clutching onto his hoodie. He looked barely awake, but when he spotted Lucas, he threw himself on top of him. His legs wrapped around Lucas’ waist and he buried his face into Lucas’ neck. He mumbled something Lucas could feel but not understand, so Lucas moved him a bit and asked him to repeat it.

“I said--” Haechan’s words slurred with sleep, and Lucas couldn’t help but think it’s adorable-- “thank you for not leaving.”

His head dropped onto Lucas’ shoulder, and he was out like a light.

Lucas set him down on the sun chair gently, mind reeling. What does that  _ mean?  _ Did Haechan have abandonment issues? The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense.

He didn't notice the sun slinking away until he finally looked away from the rock by his feet, found the only thing he could really see was the sea glowing slightly and decided it was time to sleep.

His brain didn't really register that there was another sunbed for him to sleep on, so he just lay down where he was. On instinct, he curled around Haechan. Soon enough, he had drifted off.

**D-3**

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Mornin’.” Lucas yawned. He flopped over to see Haechan under the shade of one of the area’s few trees, Lucas’ phone in hand as tried to shake the life back into it. “What time is it?”

“The hell if I know. There are no clocks here.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Haechan rolled his eyes. He pulled himself to his feet and wandered over to where yesterday’s treasure awaited, fully dried out. He picked it up, inspecting the package for any moisture. When he was sure there wasn't any, he turned to Lucas. “So, what do we do with these?”

Lucas rubbed his face and sat up. “Light them, I guess. Burn it up!”

“Oh my god.” Haechan’s eyes lit up. “We should do them all at once.”

“That sounds very dangerous!”

“Big boom! Sparkles!” he looked up at Lucas, studying his expression. It hadn't changed, still wide-eyes and mostly unreadable. “What do I have to do to convince you?”

“What? I’m already convinced, I was just stating the obvious. Let’s do it!” 

“Nice!” 

Silence. 

“We should probably wait for the sun to set,” Lucas said. 

“Yeah, we should.”

A comfortable silence settled between them until Haechan broke through.

“We should make a pier. A mini one.”

“Like the ones made of wood? Wouldn't the fireworks burn that?”

“I mean, we can do the fireworks somewhere else, some other time. I just think it’d be cool.”

“It would.” With that, Lucas nodded, pulled himself to his feet and began to walk off in the direction of the trees.

Panicked, Haechan almost shouted, “Hey, where are you going?”

“To find wood, duh. This pier isn't gonna build itself.”

“Shit, you scared me.”

Lucas chuckled slightly. “I’m not gonna leave you, Haechan.”

“What- what? I didn't say that, what-” and that was how Lucas knew, he’d hit the nail right on the head.

“Remember? Yesterday? You were all like “Lucas! I’m so happy you didn't leave! I don't know what I'd do without you! I love-”

“I did  _ not  _ say that.”

“So you  _ do  _ remember.”

Haechan crossed his arms and huffed. “Ugh, you got me.”

Lucas laughed but straightened his expression soon after. “But seriously, I wouldn't leave, even if I could.”

“Because there’s no time,” Haechan said, waving his hands dismissively. “I know.” 

“Well, I guess. But also, you’re here.” Lucas paused, and hesitantly asked, “If you wanted to leave, then we could?”

“I'd rather stay here. Thank you, though,” Haechan replied.

“Oh, thank god. It’s like a ghost town back there.”

“That bad?”

Lucas nodded in confirmation. “My roommate ditched me for our apartment building’s receptionist.”

“The lack of taste jumped out,” Haechan muttered with an indiscreet cough. 

“Huh?” 

“Hm?” Haechan’s expression was smug. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Lucas was more than happy to fall for it. “Weren't you going to get wood?”

“Come help me,” Lucas pleaded. Haechan scrunched his face up. Lucas pouted. “Please?”

Breaking out the puppy eyes was a rare occasion, but Haechan wasn't the only one who knew his assets. Haechan sighed, shaking his head and followed after Lucas, who grinned and began skipping away.

*

Building a pier wasn't an activity that Lucas had a particular amount of experience in. he was an amateur and, surprisingly, so was Haechan. One would think that living alone on a deserted island would increase his building skill, but no. if Lucas was level two, Haechan was barely level one.

“Wouldn't it be easier to make the walkway first, then place the leg bits and attach them at the end?” Lucas had already made a mental plan (not based on the scene from the My Little Pony: Equestria Girls movie he had watched a few days ago, no way) but Haechan was struggling. 

Haechan paused in what he was doing, thought for a moment as he gripped the slab of wood, and made a face.

Setting down his tools, Lucas inspected his expression. It was a new one: brows furrowed, lips pressed together and nose scrunched. Cute, but weird. Mostly cute. “What’s that face mean?”

“It means you’re right but I don't wanna admit it.” Haechan locked eyes with Lucas as he spoke with the same expression, and Lucas couldn't hold back his laughter.

“Don't worry, I’ll let you man the fireworks,” he managed through giggles. Heavy with mock offence, Haechan sucked in a breath and placed a hand to his chest, exclaiming something that Lucas couldn't understand over his laughter.

The rest of their building adventure continued in quite the same way: Haechan would pretend to know what he was doing, Lucas would prove him wrong, and so the cycle repeated.

It was dark before they finished, soaked in slightly acidic water from the waist down and no better at building than before, but hey, at least they had a cool pier that was definitely a health and safety regulator’s worst nightmare! It was safe to say, the idea was easier said than done - it was a mess of splinters and shoddy workmanship and too many nails because Lucas was sure they’d make it more stable, but it worked (mostly) and that was what  _ really  _ mattered. 

“You sound like an inspirational Pinterest quote,” Haechan added helpfully. Punching his arm, Lucas made a half-assed attempt at a retort, which, in Haechan’s words,  _ flopped.  _ He resigned to let Haechan chatter on, chipping in with short remarks, just to make him smile.

Before long, the two of them were sprawled out on the edge of the pier. The sun had long since disappeared, leaving behind foreboding darkness and the ever-permanent purple glow of the sea reflecting into the starless sky. If you looked close enough, you might see clouds of smog hanging just out of reach or the brown sky of the nearest city over the horizon. They weren't pretty, not in the slightest - they were a warning that the end was near, after all - but as he closed his eyes and felt a hand wrap around his own, Lucas decided that maybe, just maybe, the end wasn't all so bad.

**D-2**

Days passed quick - Lucas supposed that was to be expected. But really, he couldn't care less. Was he scared? Yes. But was he happy? Definitely. 

He’d had weeks to accept the fact. Haechan, on the other hand, had had four days. No one - not even Haechan - could process something as huge as that in such a small amount of time. Meaning that when Haechan woke him up from his midday nap, frantic and close to tears, Lucas jumped to action. Putting on the voice he used to coax Johnny (cat, not cousin) down from whichever high place he’d managed to get himself stranded on, he gently persuaded Haechan to stop pacing and, after a contemplative moment, he complied.

For a while, they stayed in silence as Haechan snivelled, furiously wiping at his eyes until his breathing calmed down. Now, Lucas wasn’t exactly feeling up to discussing the inevitability of their extinction, although he knew it had to be done at some point, so he deigned to jump right in and instead asked, “Is it okay if I hug you?”

Furiously, Haechan nodded. He shuffled in close, maybe too close for if he were in his right mind, and wrapped his arms around Lucas’ waist. Lucas returned the favour, smiling when he felt Haechan melt, face buried into the crook of his neck. 

“You wanna tell me what’s up?” Lucas already knew what was up. But as Johnny (cousin, not cat) always said when Mark got scared from the horror movies they used to watch, listening to fear is the best way to cure fear. Awfully wise, considering he was fifteen, but good advice nevertheless. 

“It feels real, now.”

“It didn't before?”

Haechan shook his head, face still splotchy and red. “Not even slightly. Counting down makes it all kinda come back to slap you round the face, though.”

“It does, doesn't it. My roommate said something about it ‘grounding’ you. Jaehyun always said weird stuff.”

“Jaehyun sounds weird.”

“Jaehyun  _ is  _ weird. Like you.”

Haechan sniffled and hit him square in the chest, winding him, but proceeded to curl into him. His arms latched onto each other behind Lucas’ neck and he pulled his legs up into his lap, effectively sitting on him, but Lucas welcomed the contact. Soon enough, Haechan was dozing in his arms.

Warmth replaced the dull ache in his chest and Lucas smiled.

*

They talked again, after Haechan woke up. About life, about death; pretty heavy stuff for one in the afternoon. Safe to say, Lucas’ brain was exhausted.

And, as per his usual exhaustion coping mechanism, he decided to start sprouting whatever shit came to mind. "Do you think god stays in heaven because he too lives in fear of what he created?"

"Did you just quote  _ Spy Kids _ ?" 

Haechan seemed relaxed, probably just as spent as Lucas, but Lucas had to do a double-take. Did Haechan really just understand his obscure ancient movie references? _ Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams _ was released in 2002. No one remembered 2002. 

Maybe it was the shock. Maybe that was why Lucas’ brain decided it would be an excellent idea to say, "My god, I could kiss you right now."

Silence. Cue awkward laugh from Lucas, but Haechan just stared. His expression was unreadable; regret crept in like ivy, clinging to his walls. Without thinking, he began to apologise.

“Oh my god,” Haechan said, and before Lucas could process it, he was leaning in. Briefly, Haechan’s lips made contact with Lucas’ cheek but he pulled away too fast, flushed red from the tips of his ears to his neck. When Lucas moved - to do what, he didn't know. Something, presumably - Haechan stood up and stepped away. The line of his shoulders was high with tension. Lucas felt the urge to help, to do something, but was rooted to his spot on the sunbed, as if the force suctioning his thighs to the plastic was the same one keeping him exactly where he was.

Panic festered in his chest - his lungs, his heart - and he struggled to keep it from growing out of control.

As soon as Haechan spun around, red-faced but not angry, the panic seemed to melt away.

“I-” Haechan struggled to get the words out, Lucas could tell just from his tone. For a moment he considered covering his ears or running, just to escape this limbo of unspoken words that wrapped themselves around his throat like a snake coiling around its prey. Yet, he remained.

(If it was for Haechan, though, Lucas wouldn't mind fighting a snake or two.)

"I've been wanting to do that for a while. I'm sorry, I should've asked, at least-"

"Don't!” Lucas was aware of how frantic he sounded and looked, waving his hands in what was supposed to be a reassuring motion, but his three brain cells were too busy to really process it. “It’s fine, really. I liked it."

"Oh. Okay then." Haechan sat down again, blush still painting his face and he stared resolutely at everything that wasn't Lucas. 

Lucas didn't notice how dark it had gotten until he took a good look at Haechan's face. It was tilted up, and took on the same purple glow as the ocean at their feet.

Haechan was really pretty. Most people were, by default, but Haechan was something unique. Silver hair, clear skin, eyes you could drown in; he was the full package. Lucas suddenly reconsidered his choice of long, blond hair, but just as quickly remembered that he too was hot and could, therefore, pull off any hairstyle. Plus, there was no better feeling than letting the wind run its fingers through the long strands, no matter how much Haechan teased him for the apparent “Hee-man energy”.

His internal debate was interrupted by Haechan’s quiet voice. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

“Oh.” great choice of words, Lucas. Haechan’s face fell. “Fuck, that’s not- not what I meant. Me- me too.”

“Really?” Lucas nodded and Haechan visibly relaxed. “Thank fuck. I don't even know what came over me, you’re just so cute- sorry, by the way. I should’ve asked first.”

Lucas tried to fight down the blush - ‘tried’ being the operative word. Haechan had called him cute before, but never with such… conviction. It hit different, to say the least.

“It’s fine, haha.” Haechan didn't look convinced. Lucas, while still struggling to get his brain to function properly, managed to just spit out, “A little warning would’ve been nice, though.”

“Oh. Okay.” 

For a moment, they stared at each other. Haechan’s eyes were sparkling, somehow, and Lucas felt himself shrink a little. Even just his presence seemed overwhelming, like he was some kind of higher being. There wasn't much time to dwell over that, though, not when Haechan was, again, leaning in.

“Can I kiss you?”

Lucas said yes.

**D-1**

Twenty-four hours later, everything was as it usually was. Not n _ ormal  _ \- such a description didn't exactly fit them, or their situation. It was just the usual.

Because - sure, they only had one day left, but Lucas was more concerned with making Haechan pick up the socks he had discarded than their imminent doom. 

“It’s  _ unsanitary.” _

Haechan rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh. “We’re gonna die! Who the fuck cares!” 

You see, Haechan had now moved onto the ‘I don't give a fuck about anything’ stage of his helplessness, and Lucas was having none of it. Mark was bad enough, but Haechan? Let’s just says, when Haechan says “fuck this shit” he  _ means  _ it.

“Me, you dolt! Hygiene is important!” Lucas picked up the socks and lobbed them at Haechan, who batted them away with disgust.

With nothing else to say, Haechan exclaimed, “Ugh! Lucas!” 

“Haechan!” 

“Lucas!”

“Haechan!” 

“Lucas!”

“Haechan!”

“Haechan!”

In reality, Lucas knew it was a trick. But his mouth and his brain didn't always like each other too much, and he ended up shouting, with complete conviction: “Lucas!” 

The realisation was immediate, and Lucas had to refrain from kicking the puddle of giggles Haechan had become. “You bamboozled me! How could you!” he tried, but Haechan was unresponsive. The best kind of laughter echoed around the open space and eventually, Lucas resigned to flopping down beside Haechan.

His mind was carefully blank; he was chill. Just vibing. 

Until Haechan took his hand and his cursed, gay brain began to set off alarm bells.

Haechan hardly seemed phased. “We should use the fireworks today since we don't know how long we’ll have tomorrow.” he didn't look at Lucas, but he stared at the grey sky and grinned as he said, “YOLO, right?”

“We YOLO-ing?” Lucas snickered.

“Indeed we are.” Haechan heaved himself to his feet. “Where did we put them, again?” 

“Under the tree, I think.”

Haechan looked at the sparse forest behind them and back to Lucas. “How specific.”

Lucas shook his head, smiling. He made a move to stand, but Haechan pushed him back down by the shoulders. “No, no, I got this. You stay here and… I dunno, do whatever.” 

And with that, he was off.

Now, Lucas didn't have any qualms with being left alone, but it did mean that he was left alone with his thoughts, which became significantly less chill as Haechan’s figure got smaller and smaller. 

Yes, Lucas had accepted that this world wasn't going to exist for much longer. Didn't mean he liked the idea, though. 

They had tossed the countdown after yesterday’s incident, which Lucas now saw as a blessing - ignorance truly was bliss. That was if you could even call it ignorance. In reality, Lucas was just stumbling around, a sitting duck trying its hardest to laugh in the face of doom. But in his defence, he wasn't doing a particularly  _ bad _ job at it.

Once Haechan came back into view, though, grinning and waving a familiar package around, Lucas’ mind blanked, negative thoughts thrown right out the window. 

By the time they had fumbled around and set up the explosives in the safest way they could - spoiler alert: it would, 100%, give any health and safety inspector a heart attack or two - the sun had already begun to set.

They celebrated as the first fireworks went off, cheering when they exploded into colours the sky hadn't seen in years. Reds and pinks and oranges and blues fought past thick clouds with determination, and Lucas looked up at them in awe. As stupid as it sounded, he thought they were quite inspirational.

Haechan laughed at him when he said as much. Elbowing him, Lucas looked to where he stood, just to find Haechan already looking at him.

“I’m gonna miss you, once all this is gone,” Lucas said. He didn't exactly know where the confession was coming from, but he didn't exactly care, either.

Haechan scoffed in return. “Obviously, I’m too cute for you not to.” 

“Hm, what was that?” Lucas grinned. “You’re gonna miss me too?”

“Maybe, if you’re lucky.”

“Oh, I think I should be.”

Haechan rolled his eyes, focused back on the lights that shone through the dark clouds hanging over their heads.

“You're making that face again.” Lucas poked his cheek, smiling when he batted the hand away half-heartedly.

“What face?”

“The  _ ‘you’re right but I don't wanna admit it’  _ face.”

Despite what Lucas had expected, Haechan didn't shove him in faux annoyance, didn't clip him round the ear or tug on his nose painfully. He just stared, like he was someplace else. 

Again, he asked, “Can I kiss you?”

Again, Lucas said yes.

**D-DAY**

“Hey, Haechan?”

Haechan hummed in response, kicking a can that floated in that water under them. He grimaced when the metal did nothing but collapse in on itself and continue floating past them and under their pier.

Lucas continued. “Have you ever wanted to fall in love?”

“Love?” he asked after a pause.

Lucas nodded, even though Haechan was too focussed on the gentle waves of a dying sea to see.

“I, uh-” he cleared his throat. “I guess, I’ve thought of it.”

“Cool. Me too.” Lucas chanced a glance at Haechan and saw his ears, redder than a cherry, and burst out laughing. “You're that embarrassed?”

Haechan pushed him with his shoulder, turning his head away. “Shut up.”

Lucas just laughed and turned his eyes out to sea. The quiet calmness did nothing to help the fear that had lodged itself in his heart; he silently begged for relief. Only then did it occur to him, that although his phone had lost charge four days ago, his magical, decades-old iPod nano was still ready and raring to go.

He rummaged around to find it, eventually pulling it out and setting to work on untangling the headphone wires. Haechan gave him a questioning look, but Lucas just put a finger on his lips and told him to have patience, which Haechan didn't exactly seem to appreciate, but there wasn't enough time for pettiness. 

All thoughts of - well, anything - seemed to fly from Haechan’s mind when Lucas leaned over. He wasn't intending on doing anything but plug the headphone into Haechan’s right ear, though Haechan’s face had fallen and flushed red, and Lucas had to hold back a smile. To say that the recent development in their relationship had left them in an odd place would be an understatement, but Lucas was more than happy to reap the benefits (Haechan blushing) that came with it.

And so, because Lucas loved to be a little shit, he leant in just the slightest bit more and when Haechan’s breath hitched, he pulled pack, plugged the other headphone into his own ear and settled his head onto Haechan’s shoulder, grinning. Haechan huffed.

Music played between them for what might have been hours; Lucas had fallen asleep to the sound of Haechan humming along to  _ The Final Countdown  _ and woke up to a full-on, vocal rendition of  _ You Give Love A Bad Name.  _ As usual, his voice was beautiful. Lucas might’ve fallen back asleep if it wasn't for Haechan’s impression of the guitar solo. As great a singer as he wasn't, he didn't make for an excellent guitar. When Lucas told him, he gasped.

“I make an awesome guitar, I’ll have you know!”

“Is that so?” Lucas twisted his head to look him in the eye but suddenly winced. “Ugh, my neck hurts.”

Haechan rolled his eyes. “Then stop leaning on me, idiot.”

“Not my fault you're short.” Lucas tried to play it off with a yawn, but Haechan was too quick for him. He pounced before Lucas could even try to defend himself from the rapid, light punches to his chest. Haechan sat on top of him, anger having already dissipated into laughter as he struggled to detangle himself from the headphones that had miraculously managed to not fall out. They eventually righted themselves as much as the could, which was about as much as you could expect when Haechan was pissing himself laughing and Lucas had already cracked and joined him.

If the word was to end at that moment, Lucas figured he wouldn't have minded it too much.

The beach - with the warm acid sea singing lapping at their feet, the gentle breeze preventing them from overheating in the slowly fading sunlight, and sand shifting and dancing around them with every movement - was the perfect place to watch the end.

They sat side-by-side as the sun disappeared. 

Their hair stopped blowing in the wind. Suddenly, the tropical heat was gone, and their thin shirts and board shorts weren't enough. It was dark. In fact, Lucas couldn't see anything. But he could still feel, even with the cold that numbed every part of him. He could feel Haechan beside him, as still as he was, and he did the only thing he could.

It was the feeling of lips on lips before their world turned white.

**World END.**

_ Try Again? _

_ [ Yes / No ] _

_ You have selected: No. The simulation will now end. _

**_Return using code [ COMPLETE365 ] for free access to all in-game strip clubs!_ **

Yukhei quickly dismissed the pop-up, grimacing. For such a popular and standout-ish game,  _ ‘Wake Up’ _ sure did have some crude advertisements. Plus, the ending was so  _ random _ . It was supposed to be part of the fight against pollution and political corruption, not some mystical fantasy where the  _ sun disappears _ . That was the whole point of setting it just twenty years in the future- gosh, Yukhei was annoyed. Maybe he should send in a complaint.

Rather, he removed the headset and reached up to fix his hair. He ran his fingers through the cropped, black strands, somewhat disappointed to find his long, blond hair was, indeed, just virtual. Sad, but somewhat relieving - virtual hair didn't really get dirty, but Yukhei knew from experience the reality of such luscious hair. He suppressed a shiver at the thought.

Speaking of reality, it took a moment for his brain the process that he was not dead, and that the voices around him were not the voices of angels, but the other players. 

A tap on the glass had him pushing back the cover of the VR chamber and pulling himself out, legs wobbling from the constant use.

“Hey, sleepyhead.”

“Dejun, sup.”

“What were you up to in there? It’s been seven hours.”

Yukhei was suddenly reminded of how he had spent his final moments in the game. Haechan, the kiss - he flushed just at the thought of it. “I just… got distracted. A week in-game isn't that bad, c’mon.”

“That's over double the recommended amount!”

“But I finished it! I’m fine-” he was interrupted by a growl that had both him and Dejun giving his stomach looks. Dejun’s expression screamed  _ ‘i told you so’,  _ while Yukhei’s was more  _ ‘what did I do to deserve this betrayal’,  _ followed by a sheepish grin. Of course, spending seven hours with only virtual food that he couldn't actually taste, let alone take any sustenance from was going to leave him just a bit peckish.

(The McDonald’s across the road was about to get one hell of a surprise, to put it lightly.)

Still, Yukhei allowed Dejun to drag him to the desk where a familiar lanky figure sat, texting furiously. 

“Jisung, hey,” Dejun said, still latched onto Yukhei’s arm. “Could you sign this guy out?”

Jisung nodded and swivelled in his chair towards the monitor. The neon light from the sign behind him made his blond hair glow - purple suited him. 

_ ‘Dreaming’ Gaming Inc.  _ was known for its state-of-the-art facilities, which was exactly why members were signed in and out through fingerprint recognition technology. Meaning, all members were recorded, by name as they entered and exited.

As he placed his index finger on the scanner, Yukhei had an idea.

“Sung, have you had anyone called ‘Haechan’ come in today?”

Jisung made a face. “I’m not really supposed to say…” 

Now, that wouldn't do, would it?

“Please, Sungie? I’ll get Renjun to wear the earrings he still hasn’t realised you gave to him.”

Jisung visibly considered the offer, his ears turning pink. “Fine, lemme just-” presses more keys. The clacking sound of the keys, plus the soft thumping of Dejun’s boot against the floor were nerve-inducing; he got his hopes up and was let down like a burst balloon when Jisung’s search came back negative.

“I mean-” Jisung scrambled for a reason, something to wipe the frown off Yukhei’s face. “- a lot of the time, people don't go by their real name in VR games. You don't, right? Maybe ‘Haechan’ is just this guy’s alias.” 

“Oh my God… you’re so smart, dude.” 

Dejun cleared his throat, and Yukhei had the startling realisation that all this chatting was cutting a huge chunk out of his McDonald’s time. “Bye Jisung, see you soon!” 

With a wave, Jisung nodded and returned his attention to his phone. Used to such behaviour, Yukhei just skipped out of the building and into the world.

The  _ real _ world, that wasn't on the brink of extinction. (“Not right now, but it’s coming, alright,” Renjun would say. He would then proceed to down Chenle’s Pepsi in one gulp when he wasn't looking, act innocent when interrogated, then immediately confess as soon as the slightest hint of a frown appeared on Chenle’s face.)

The real world, where the sun was setting and Yukhei was just minutes away from devouring half of McDonald’s menu.

*

Halfway through his third burger (he hadn't checked what it was, just placed everything he could see into the virtual basket and watched as Dejun’s complexion turned ghostly at the total), Yangyang and Kunhang appeared, shortly followed by Renjun, Chenle, and Jisung. And with their arrival, chaos ensued.

There were fries flying, ketchup spilling - Yukhei definitely heard Yangyang roar something about hot buns, but he wasn't entirely sure how relevant that was to the war that raged between the eight of them. Well, seven. Yukhei was far too focussed on his food to participate, but he did find the time to wiggle his eyebrows at Jisung while Renjun picked a piece of lettuce from his hair. He got the reaction he expected, and a bonus as Chenle began teasing him, as he always did, but still returned to the greasy goodness his stomach was craving.

As much as he enjoyed the feeling of his health deteriorating like a dust bunny in the wind, there was something bothering him. A small, irritating thing in the back of his mind- that was a lie. It was a very large thing that was taking over a very large amount of his thought capacity, which could only be expected from a person like Haechan. 

There weren’t many other gaming centres open in Seoul, seeing as it was late afternoon on a Sunday. That was if Haechan was even from Seoul. The thought of it sat uncomfortably in his chest, that even if he did manage to contact Haechan through the game, they would be too far to ever meet. 

Attempting to block the creeping darkness didn't go too well, and Yukhei was left to mope, burger only halfway finished.

His lamenting distracted him from the whirring of the automatic doors opening, and the chatter that followed. What did eventually catch his attention was a familiar voice calling his name.

“Yo, Yukhei.”

“Mark, what are you doing here?”

Mark made an offended noise. “Damn, just because I’m your cousin means I’m not allowed into McDonald’s? That hurts, Xuxi.”

“That's not what I meant- why do you sound like Johnny? I know you were birthed from the same womb but you don't need to be exactly like him.” that made Mark’s companion snort, though their eyes were glued to the screen as they added another item to their basket with similar haste to Yukhei.

“I don't- look, for your information, Donghyuck here just spent seven hours finishing that  _ ‘Wake Up’  _ game and his stomach was about to cave in, so he dragged me here.

“You're paying, by the way.” Yukhei’s head shot up. That voice was so familiar, but there wasn't a strand of silver hair in sight, only a mop of brown with highlights the colours of a thousand rainbows. But, as he pushed himself to stand, he knew exactly what he saw; an unforgettable face, the light of the screen falling onto perfect cheeks, illuminating a collection of moles Yukhei hadn't noticed in-game. Virtual reality could only be so accurate, after all.

Everyone was staring, but his eyes were locked onto him. “Haechan?”

Haechan peered over his shoulder, eyebrows quirked at first. When he saw Yukhei, registered that it was really him, despite all the little things the simulation couldn't pick up, his jaw dropped, eyes widening.

Dejun didn't seem to notice the exchange. “Haechan? Isn't that who you asked Jisung-”

Haechan gaped him. “Lucas? What the fuck?”

“You're real.”

“ _ You're _ real! What the fuck?”

Yukhei nodded furiously. “I am real!”

“ _ I  _ am real! What the fuck?”

“How the hell do you two know each other? Donghyuck? Yukhei?” Mark interjected, looking wildly between the two of them.

“He’s real!” they shouted at the same time, pointing at each other. Mark didn't look any more enlightened, so Yukhei stepped in to explain.

“We met in-game - on Jeju. Haechan tried to kill me at first, but then we became- uh, well- we were… friends?” he stumbled over his words, looking to Haechan for help. What he found instead was Haechan-  _ Donghyuck _ blushing furiously and stabbing at items on the screen. Mark gave the two of them confused looks before it suddenly dawned on him.

“Ew,” was all he said.

Sensing the same thing, Renjun jumped on the chance to tease. “Friends, huh? You sure about that, Xuxi? Really?” 

The others were quick to jump on board the bandwagon, poking fun as the pair just flushed, mouths refusing to open.

“So, you're telling me, my best friend and my cousin hooked up in a game? Dear Lord, I gotta go-” Mark put his hand over his eyes and turned away. Immediately, Yukhei and Donghyuck were compelled to shout:

“No!”

“Dude!” 

“Alright bitches, listen up.” Renjun was out of his seat, a single piece of lettuce grasped in his fist. He didn't notice, and there was no way anyone was going to tell him, not with that scheming look on his face. “We’re all gonna shush, pick up our shit, and leave the lovebirds be. Okay?” 

Mark was the first one to leave, his fake-distraught expression not dropping until he was out the door. There, he peered back through the glass with the most shit-eating grin Yukhei had ever seen on him. (He suspected Johnny had had another argument with Taeyong and was leaching off Mark for a couple of days; it was the only way to explain Mark’s sudden bravery.)

The others followed, almost one at a time as they each took time to lock eyes with Yukhei and make the exact same suggestive expression. It wouldn’t have been a surprise if Kunhang, Yangyang, Chenle, and Jisung had planned it beforehand - though, in Dejun’s case, he leant in to whisper into Yukhei’s ear:  _ “if you don't finish all that food, I will individually tweeze out every hair on your entire body.”  _ Though he doubted Dejun would actually go through with the threat - he was way too soft - Yukhei did feel a little bad about the huge cost. Plus, it would give him and Donghyuck something to do, since they were apparently being ditched. 

And then, there was one. Renjun hung back for a few seconds, just so he could lean over and whisper into Donghyuck’s ear, just as Dejun had done. Though the red that painted over Donghyuck’s cheeks suggested that whatever Rejun had said was far less… threatening. Or maybe Donghyuck was just into that. The fuck if he knew.

Speaking of, Donghyuck was still loitering by the screen and Yukhei had yet to say anything.

“Haechan-”

“Call me Donghyuck. Please.” 

“Ah, right. Donghyuck. You can call me Yukhei, then.”

“Thanks.”

A beat. “This is awkward, isn't it,” Yukhei sighed. Donghyuck grimaced, then made a face that Yukhei felt compelled to point out. “You're making the face again.”

“The  _ ‘you're right but I don't wanna admit it’  _ face?”

“Exactly.”

Donghyuck just grinned in response.

Clearing his throat, Yukhei gestured to the food that covered the table. “Dejun said if I didn't finish all this food he’d, uh, pluck every hair from my body.” 

“Jesus, that’s creative.”

“Yeah… you wanna give me a hand? I like having hair.”

“Sure.” Donghyuck nodded and took a seat across from him. “I think my stomach’s about to collapse in on itself, anyway.”

“I  _ know.  _ Seven hours is like, three days worth of food. At least.”

Donghyuck paused where he was reaching for a box of fries. “Yukhei, there are people dying.”

“Technically, we just died. We deserve this.”

“You know what? I’ll take it.”

With that, the two of them jumped right in.

It could’ve been hours by the time either of them spoke again, too occupied with making sure even the ketchup tubs were spotless. There had been a silent spat over who got the fifth and final double cheeseburger, but Yukhei had conceded after a very intense staring contest (read: he got flustered by how pretty Donghyuck’s eyes were) and Donghyuck jumped at the chance.

“Man, that felt good.” Yukhei yawned, stretching his back out. The volume of food was already making him sleepy, but, boy, did he enjoy it. “Considering half the world is dying of it, diabetes sure is delicious.”

“Don't forget the palm oil! Deforestation is our doom’s best friend,” Donghyuck added. They both laughed, then fell silent. “That game really fucked us up, huh,” Donghyuck said, and Yukhei was compelled to agree.

“The existential dread… it’s infectious.”

Donghyuck murmured his agreement into his burger. Lucas, having polished off the rest of the food, was left to watch while Donghyuck devoured the final piece with a remarkable level of class. However -

“There’s sauce on your face.”

Donghyuck cursed and fumbled for a napkin. Yukhei tried to direct him, but it only resulted in Donghyuck smearing the sauce on his cheek, chin, even his nose. What the fuck was in that sauce that made it spread that far, Yukhei didn't want to know. Eventually, Donghyuck handed the reigns to Yukhei.

And- not to be dramatic, but Donghyuck was even more perfect in real life. No weird, fuzzy bits, no pixels and health bars, just Donghyuck, with all his perfect imperfections. He’d be lying if he said he wasn't indulging when he tilted Donghyuck’s chin up and took his time dabbing away the sauce. (“It’s a new vantage point,” he reasoned. Donghyuck had scoffed and allowed him, but the red tips of his ears were a dead giveaway. Or a memory, perhaps?)

After a few seconds of stilted silence, they packed their things, meticulously checked their rubbish went into the right bins and set out to a park that Donghyuck had discovered, not too far from the university they both apparently attended. Yukhei couldn't help the “no surprise there” when Donghyuck revealed he was a music major, nor his actual surprise at Donghyuck’s... awfully normal reaction to him being a double biotech and history major.

“It’s a weird combination, but I respect that.”

“Most people are more surprised. They always expect me to be on some kind of sports scholarship.”

“That’s dumb. Nerds can have muscles too.” Donghyuck emphasised his point with a pinch to Yukhei’s forearm, which soon turned into him dragging Yukhei through a bright yellow, wooden gate and towards the least-safe swing set Yukhei had ever laid eyes on. 

Made of rotted wood and what appeared to be slabs of plastic connected by frayed rope, it didn't seem like the structure could even support a child, but Donghyuck launched himself onto it without any hesitation. With decisively less confidence, Yukhei sat on the neighbouring swing. It creaked dangerously - probably more because of Donghyuck’s swinging, but the weight of another person most definitely wasn't doing any favours to its structural integrity. After a few minutes and once Donghyuck’s excitement had calmed slightly, Yukhei allowed himself to relax, swinging gently.

By now, the sun was setting, a clear, dark sky replacing the bright colours of the sunset. Yukhei smiled when he managed to squint through the light pollution and spot a couple of stars that fought through. When he pointed them out to Donghyuck, he beamed, and Yukhei suddenly lost interest in the stars up above. What’s the need when there’s one right next to you?

But, rather than vocalise his thoughts, Yukhei cleared his throat. “This is nice,” he announced.

Donghyuck hummed. “Yeah. Not to be mean, but I like this more than the island. Less lonely.”

“Tell me about it. I don't know what I was thinking in the first place. Me? Survive without other people? For a week? Impossible.” 

“ _ Now  _ do you understand why I was so suspicious? You looked like a city boy, through and through. City boys are always sus.”

“You didn't  _ need  _ to hold a gun to my head. I was unarmed!”

“You were also six-foot-tall and hot. My fight or flight reflex kicked in.”

“You think I’m hot?” 

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “You know you’re hot, it’s a fact.”

“Well, I think you’re hot, too.”

“Also a fact.” He added, as an afterthought, “We’d make hot-ass babies.”

“Woah, babies? At least let me take you on a date first.” There was a pause before realisation struck. Donghyuck was gaping at him, and he stumbled around his next words. “I mean, if you want to?”

Shaking his head, Donghyuck looked away and Yukhei’s stomach dropped. He then stood, turning towards Yukhei with the biggest grin he had ever seen. “One PM, Friday. Meet me outside  _ Dreaming _ ?”

“Oh. Oh, sure! I’ll-” he made finger guns as Donghyuck stepped towards him- “I’ll be there.”

“Good.” Leaning down, Donghyuck landed a brief kiss on his cheek. “See you there!”

For a second, Yukhei really thought he was going to die on that swing set.

*

Friday, one in the afternoon. Yukhei was outside  _ Dreaming _ and struggling to keep his excited nerves from convincing him to run around the block. Again. 

Luckily, Donghyuck arrived just in time to stop another impromptu marathon. Yukhei greeted him with a gentle kiss to the cheek and was more than elated when Donghyuck returned the favour with far more fervour, even if he did use it as an excuse to grab Yukhei’s hand and start running off. 

They weaved through all kinds of people, from hordes of teenagers to hordes of elders, all equally as slow and annoying, until they reached their final destination. 

“Why are we on campus?” Yukhei was more than confused. It was the middle of July; they were still on break. The building was completely empty as they walked through the halls.

“Because I’m bringing you to the best restaurant in the city.” 

Yukhei took a look around, then settled his eyes back on Donghyuck. “This is the cafeteria,” he informed.

“I know that. But have you considered-” he clapped his hands twice, and from the kitchen doors burst a familiar group, all dressed in what were supposedly meant to be waiter’s uniforms, but the degree of effort put into them varied greatly. Renjun was fully decked out, suave and professional; Jisung was wearing the matching joggers to Chenle’s hoodie. “Ta-da!”

Yukhei barely had time to react, because the next thing he knew, Johnny was picking him up by the underarms and setting him onto one of the table benches as Donghyuck slid into the other side. Taeyong - who had apparently made up with Johnny -, Mark and Renjun delivered the food in the most unnecessarily flamboyant way while Yangyang, Chenle, and Jisung fussed over how many candles made an aesthetic scene versus a fire hazard, and eventually, Dejun and Kunhang emerged from the kitchens looking suspiciously ruffled. (Thankfully, no one bothered to ask. The looks said everything.)

The date itself went spectacularly well - they reminisced their time in-game, flirted badly, tried to pretend that their friends weren't all listening in from a few tables away. Altogether, a great time. 

That was, up until the others decided to get involved in discussing the apocalypse.

You see, their little group - which, they discovered after a fifteen-minute, very off-topic discussion, was far closer than they had thought - was rife with what one would call ‘trolls’. The usual suspects were Yangyang, Chenle, Kunhang, and Donghyuck, and their favourite victims also just so happened to be part of this group.

And so, after ten minutes of debate, Kunhang had been whisked away by a fuming Dejun, Chenle and Yangyang were ganging up on Mark and Jisung, Johnny and Taeyong had disappeared somewhere Yukhei really didn't want to know, and Renjun was at the end of his wit with Donghyuck

"Rumours around the world are saying-"

"That Mark is absolutely fully capable?" Donghyuck interrupted. Everyone laughed, minus Mark - who just threw his hands up in exasperation, more than fed up with the constant mimicry of his first and only mixtape - and Renjun.

"No-" Renjun scowled- "That global warming is almost irreversible and is going to kill us all."

As Renjun continued into a rant, Donghyuck and Yukhei shared a look across the table. 

They couldn't stop the end. It was inevitable, always a looming possibility. But if there was anything the two of them had learnt about the journey to the end, it was that hope was one hell of a drug.

It seemed, at some point, they’d become addicted.

**Author's Note:**

> AHHHHHHH thank u for reading i hoped u liked!! 
> 
> also i feel like it wasn't clear but im lazy so basically hyuck is friends with mark and by default all of marks friends and johnny bc he's marks brother yeah but not yukhei bc cousins BUT yukhei and mark have basically the same friend group apart from donghyuck bc.. external forces idk it doesn't need to make sense 
> 
> [my twitter!](https://twitter.com/ritokki)   
>  [my curiouscat!](https://curiouscat.me/ritokki)


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